Is Scherie Murray a Republican?

Update on Scherie Murray: An insider in the Queens, New York Republican scene has assured me that Murray has long-time Republican affiliations in the borough, and she has already run for City Council as a Republican.  My source says that she was in the past not knowledgeable about pro-freedom issues, but she has been willing to learn. The source speculates that she is being backed by Ted Cruz and concludes: "There are 4 or 5 Republicans in the race, and we'll see who leads in fundraising and publicity and who wins the primary." 

Scherie Murray just announced her Republican congressional  candidacy in AOC's district. A friend just forwarded this image of a tweet by Scherie Murray in which she heartily congratulates AOC for her victory. While not fatal to her credibility, the tweet raises questions that require investigation before Republicans can take Murray's bid seriously.  Might she be a plant, an empty suit, or just a left-leaning Democrat who is angry about the damage AOC has done to property values in Western Queens?  I co-own an apartment on 34th Avenue and 21st Street in Long Island City/Astoria, just a few blocks south of AOC's district, and I can attest to the serious damage AOC and her fellow left-wing Democrats did to property values when they rejected Amazon's proposed headquarters.  

Admittedly, if she is just an annoyed Democrat, she's probably still better than AOC, although AOC does serve some useful purposes for Republicans nationally.  Perhaps AOC can be viewed as a useful idiot...  

Holy Gas Cap: Congressman Maurice Hinchey Accused of Assault

A Rosendale, NY man has accused Congressman Maurice Hinchey, who proposed price controls on gasoline a month or two ago, of assault according to the Kingston Daily Freeman.

According to the Daily Freeman, "Paul Lendvay, 46, who is the chairman of the Catskill Regional Friends of the National Rifle Association" is planning to press charges against Hinchey because the two got into a scuffle at a street fair over a Winchester 94 Teddy Roosevelt commemorative rifle that Lendvay was displaying and because Hinchey refused to buy raffle tickets for the rifle, which he was admiring.

The Freeman adds: "Police said that, based on what they knew of the alleged incident, a charge of misdemeanor assault would be unwarranted. Harassment, a violation, would be the more likely charge, they said."

Hinchey's spokesman accused Lendvay of pressing charges for political purposes.

"Hinchey, first elected to Congress in 1992, is running this fall for his ninth two-year term in the House. His Republican opponent is expected to be George Phillips of Endwell."

In a separate Freeman article, Republican challenger George Phillips, a gallant, capable, well educated and handsome gentleman, questioned Hinchey's far fetched statistics concerning energy exploration:

"In a press release, Phillips - who lives in Endwell, near Binghamton - said Hinchey was using "rhetoric" and was "blocking new oil production" by continuing to support a ban on opening drilling in protected areas.

"Despite polls showing public support for offshore drilling at near 70 percent, including a majority of Californians and Alaskans, Hinchey continues to oppose tapping the 20 billion barrels of oil that the Department of the Interior says can be found in the areas currently closed to drilling," Phillips said in the prepared statement. "The United States is alone among developed nations in implementing such a ban on offshore drilling."

New York's 22nd Congressional district looks like it's going to have an interesting and tight race. With Hinchey getting into street scuffles and Phillips getting major traction on energy, Ulster County and the rest of the gerrymandered district may be looking at a Republican in Congress next year.